Standard drywall is used for most walls and ceilings in dry, interior areas. It comes in 4-ft.-wide panels in lengths ranging from 8 ft. to 16 ft. and in thicknesses of 1⁄4", 3⁄8", 1⁄2", and 5⁄8". There are also 54"-wide panels for horizontal installations on walls with 9-ft. ceilings.
Flexible drywall, specially made for curved walls, is a bendable version of standard 1⁄4"-thick drywall. It can be installed dry or dampened with water to increase its flexibility
Fire-resistant drywall has a dense, fiber-reinforced core that helps contain fire. Thicknesses are 1⁄2", 5⁄8", and 3⁄4". Most fire-resistant drywall is called “Type X.” Fire-resistant panels are generally required in attached garages, on walls adjacent to garages, and in furnace and utility rooms.
Moisture-resistant drywall, commonly called “green board” for the color of its face paper, is designed for areas of high-humidity and is used most often in bathrooms, behind kitchen sinks, and in laundry rooms.
Abuse-resistant drywall withstands surface impacts and resists penetrations better than standard drywall. It’s available in 1⁄2" regular and 5⁄8" fire-resistant types.
Decorative drywall products include prefinished vinyl-coated panel systems, decorative corner treatments, prefabricated arches, and drywall panels that look like traditional raised panel paneling.
Sound-resistant drywall products have up to eight times as much sound deadening capability as standard drywall. These products are good for home theaters.
Plaster-base drywall, sometimes called “blue board,” is used with veneer plaster systems instead of a traditional hand-troweled scratch coat. Panels have two layers of paper—a blue-colored face paper that’s highly absorptive over a moisture-resistant paper to protect the gypsum core.
Mold-resistant drywall is a specialty board designed for areas that are regularly damp, have high humidity, or that are otherwise susceptible to mold and mildew growth.
